Spring-hub wheel for automobiles.



G. K. EWING & C. R. FA'RLEY.

SPRING HUB WHEEL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1912.

1,055,026, Patented Man, 1913.

hill;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SPRI'IllG-HU-B WHEEL roe. AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters'Batent.

Patented Mar. 4,1913.

Application filed June 36, 19,12. Serial ,No. 705,99

To all whom it may concern 'B it :known that we, \GIEOJKGE K. EWING and.CQLBX R. FARLEX,.C11Z1-Z6I1S.O the United States of America, andresidents of Ewing- 5 ton, Gallia county, in the State of Ohio,

have jointly invented .a new and useful Improvement in Spring-HubWheelsifor Auto? mobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to substitutes for road wheels ,havinginflatedtires, and consists in certain novel combinations of parts and .animproved spring-hub wheel embodying said combinations or any .of them,as hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

The leadingobject of this invention is to so-construct and arrange theaccessories-of a complement .of external metallic springs as to providefor repairing .or .replacingany oneof the springs, or its accessories inwhole or in .part without disturbing any of the other springs, and withthe least possible delay and expense.

Other objects Will be set forth in the general description whichfollows.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof.

Figure 1 is a side view of the improved wheel; Figs. 2 and 3 arerespectively face views-of its two side disks detached; Fig. A is a faceview of its center disk; Fig. 5 represents an axial section through thehub-on a larger scale; F ig. 6 is a sectional view of one ofv thesprings, with its telescopic thrustrod,-,detached; and Fig. 7 is aperspective view of. one of the spring brackets, detached.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in all the figures.

The hub of the improved wheel comprises a pair of annular side disks 1and 2 (Figs. 2 and 3) and a center disk 3 (Fig. 4), the latterintegralwith or rigidly attached to the axle-engaging portion 4, Fig. 5; whichlatter may be of any suitable known or improved construction. The sidedisks 1 and .2 are united by two sets of screws or bolts, 5 and 6, toform a hollow annular flange portion of the hub which is rigidly unitedby radial spokes 7 with a concentric rim 8; this being in turnsurrounded by a tire 9, which may also be of any suitable known orimproved construction and of either a. rubber or a metal type. The disks1 and 2'are provided with bolt holes for the bolts 5 and 6 ;;---as shownat 5 and 6 in Figs. 2 and 3; and

spoke sockets 7 coincident with the :boltholes -6 are formed in'anofi'set portion of the disk 1, the spokes 7 being made fast at theirinner ends by said :bolts 6. By removing the disk 2 the spoke sockets 7are so opened as to facilitate repairing :or replacing a bnoken'or bentspoke. The spoke-fastening bolts 6 assist the bolts 5 in resistinglateral or skidding strains. The center disk 3 is of less .diameter thanthe-space 3, Fig. 5., between the sidedisks 1 and 2, so as to havesuflicient play .edgewise in said space; and a .suilicient number ofhelical-compression springs, -10, are interposed between collars, '10,on telescopic rods, 11, one of which is shown in section in Fig. 6, theends of these rods bein pivoted to radially opposed ,brackets 12 an 13by suitable pivotal bolts 14. The sides .of "the center disk3, otherwiseexposed to rubbing contact with the side disks 1 and 2, may be providedwith antifriction'balls,-m, 5, or otherwise ren dered suflicientlyfrictionless. The springs 10 may be coiled from rods of any suitableresilient metal or alloy.

Each of the :telescopic rods 11 is composed of two members, a and Z,Fig. 6, respectively tubular and solid, and each -provided beyond itscollar :10 with a head 15 havin a screw-tapped hole to receive the threeed end of .the corresponding pivotal .bolt 14. Each of the brackets 12and 13 is also preferably composed of two members, a and b, Fig. 7,constructed to form a rigid bracket of sufiicient strength adapted to bereadily forged from fiat bar metal by short transverse cuts and bendsand provided with holes 14-, Fig. 7, in both of said members a and b toreceive one of said pivotal bolts 14, and holes 16 Fig. 7 to receiveattaching screws or bolts 16.

In operation the springs 10 beneath the plane of the axle carry the loadwith the required resiliency, the strain being transmitted to themthrough the center disk 3 of each hub, the brackets 13 bolted thereto,and the inner members (I) Fig. 6) of the corresponding telescopic rods'11, with their described connections; and transmitted therefrom throughthe outer members (a Fig. 6) of the same telescopic rods 11, the pivotalbolts 14 and brackets 12 interacting there with, the side disks 1 and 2,spokes 7, rim 8 and tire 9, with the connections of these parts of theimproved wheel; Compare Fig.

5 and Fig. 1. The pivotal connecti ns 14- 15 provide for transmit-tingthe torsional strain from the driven axle; to the outer parts of thewheel in the most elfective manner; the several springs with their rodsturning simultaneously on these pivots to the required extent. Thelocation of the ivotalr axes equally close to both ends 0? each springassists to prevent the distortion of the springs or any of theiraccessories by torsional strains within the Wheel.

By removing the bolts 16 at one or each end of a spring, that springwith its acces-' sories may be. detached, so as to be readily replaced,in whole or in part, by way of repair, without disturbing any of theother springs, and with the least possible delay and expense.

Four sets of the springs 10 and their appurtenances for each side of thewheel are shown, each of the same being arranged in what may be termed aradial line of resiliency. It will be obvious that the number on eachside may be three or more, and increased to any required extent; andother like modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in theart.

Having thus described said improvement, we claim as our invention, anddesire to patent under this specification:

l. The combination, in a spring-hub wheel, of a center disk having asuitable axle-engaging portion, a hollow annular-flange portion Withinwhich said center disk has sufiicient edgewise play, spokes fast attheir inner ends in said annulanflange portion, a rim carried by saidspokes, a tire surrounding said rim, a suflicient number of externalradially arranged helical springs, a bracket at the outer end of eachspring detachably aflixed to said annular-flange portion, an o osingbracket for each spring detachably a xed to said center disk, andspring-engaging means connecting said brackets, including a pivotal boltparallel with the axis of the wheel at each end of each spring, and atelescopic rod Within each spring havin both ends constructed tointeract with sai pivotal bolts.

2. The combination, in a spring-hub wheel, of a center disk having asuitable axle-engaging portion, a hollow annular flange portion Withinwhich said center disk has suflicient edgewise play, spokes fast attheir inner ends in said annular, flange portion, a rim carried by saidspokes, a tire surrounding said rim, a sufficient number of eX- ternallyarranged helical springs, a bracket at the outer end of each springdetachably aflixed to said annular-flange portion, an opposing bracketior each spring detachably afiixed to said center disk, andspring-engaging means; connecting said brackets including ,a' pivotalbolt parallel with the axis of the wheel at each end of each spring, anda telescopic rod within each spring having both ends constructed tointeract with said pivotal bolts, each of said detachable brackets beingcomposed of two bar-metal members and provided with holes in both ofsaid members to receive one of said pivotal bolts.

GEORGE K; EWING. COLBY R. FARLEY.

Witnesses:

M. AGNES SOLES, E. V. SoLEs.

